Ultimate Comics Ultimates #4Review

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Thor stands alone against an entire superhuman army.

By Jesse Schedeen

Perhaps the worst thing that can be said about Jonathan Hickman's Ultimates is that the book has become less a team affair and more a continuation of Hickman's work on Ultimate Comics Thor. But is that really such a bad thing? Thor has always been one of the strongest characters in the Ultimate Universe, and Hickman has successfully continued his saga over the past year.

The fallen god of thunder once gain takes center stage in issue #4 as he embarks on what might be his final battle. But if he is to fall alongside the rest of Asgard, he intends to take the whole of the Future Foundation with him. As long as you don't mind the fact that Iron Man, Nick Fury, and Hawkeye sit most of the issue on the sidelines, it's a rollicking good read.

There's a heavy emotional charge to this script. Hickman makes it clear that, whether Thor wins or loses, he's been broken by the destruction of his home and people. The character is in a lower state than he's been since the climax of the Ultimates 2. Hickman is doing some great character work with Thor so far, and he captures all the power, glory, and tragedy of the Asgardian mythology. The dialogue is also extremely refined and epic in that signature Hickman way. The villains of the arc also fare better this month now that their faceless leader makes his presence known. Somewhat strangely, though, the issue hinges on the reveal of the main villain, when I didn't realize there was supposed to be any mystery to it in the first place.

Again, this is really Thor's show, and it's slightly disappointing that the rest of The Ultimates have such minor roles. This is supposed to be a team book, and that is Nick Fury on the cover. On the plus side, Hickman finds a bit of time to work with the EDF heroes like Captain Britain, so it isn't entirely a solo venture.

Esad Ribic's line-work was a bit wavery in issue #3. For the most part the visuals are improved in this issue. Details remain more consistent, and that epic, cinematic quality remains throughout. Ribic blends super-heroics and science-fiction style very well. There are cases where Dean White's colors become heavier and more pronounced, partially overpowering the pencils. Whether this effect is intentional or not is unclear. And finally, Ribic could stand to introduce a little more originality into his character designs. Iron Man needs to ditch the movie-inspired armor, and the various Asgardians are much closer to their classic Marvel costumes than they were in other Ultimate stories.

So while The Ultimates doesn't function spectacularly as a team book at the moment, it's definitely an enjoyable and well-written series with some gorgeous visual work. Here's hoping the creative team can step it up another notch or two as the arc draws to a close.